Haringey in North London has the highest proportion of smokers in the capital, with 18.8 per cent of adults identifying as smokers in 2025, according to new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Wandsworth recorded the lowest rate in London at 4.7 per cent.
The figures come as e-cigarette use has overtaken cigarette smoking among adults across Great Britain for the first time, with 9.9 per cent of those aged 16 and over now vaping, compared to 8.7 per cent who smoke.
Vaping climbs among young adults who never smoked
The ONS data shows that 16.4 per cent of adults aged 25 to 34 were current e-cigarette users in 2025, up from one in eight in 2024 and one in 12 in 2020. Among 16-to-24-year-olds, 12.9 per cent used e-cigarettes last year, down from a peak of 15.9 per cent in 2023 but nearly double the 7.0 per cent recorded in 2020.
An estimated 1.1 million people who have never smoked a cigarette used vapes last year, up from 940,000 in 2024. The rise in vaping has been accompanied by a significant decline in cigarette smoking over the past decade.
Borough and national smoking rate variations
Across Great Britain, the highest smoking rates in 2025 were in Clackmannanshire and Kingston upon Hull, both at 19.5 per cent. Other high-rate areas included Wyre at 18.3 per cent, Hyndburn at 17.7 per cent, and Ashfield at 17.6 per cent.
Brentwood had the lowest smoking rate in the country at 0.7 per cent, followed by Mole Valley at 1.3 per cent, the Shetland Islands at 2.1 per cent, Broadland at 2.8 per cent, and Harlow at 3.1 per cent.
Social housing residents more likely to smoke
The ONS data also highlights a clear link between housing tenure and smoking. Nearly a quarter (23.2 per cent) of individuals renting from local authorities or housing associations were smokers, compared to 13.1 per cent of private renters, 6.3 per cent of those purchasing a home through a mortgage, and 5.9 per cent of outright homeowners.
The figures underline how smoking rates vary sharply by area and housing status, even as overall smoking continues to decline across the country.
